After win over Madrid, Chelsea face their biggest test under Bompastor

LONDON — New Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor faces her toughest challenge yet as she goes up against Women’s Super League (WSL) title rivals Arsenal on Saturday (live on ESPN2 and stream on E+, 8.45 a.m. ET). After last weekend’s fixture against Manchester United was postponed, it will be her first encounter with a traditional powerhouse and, coming after a thrilling 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League on Tuesday night, will offer a true assessment of where the team stand under her leadership.

With only a handful of league games played, Chelsea have yet to face a real test under their new boss. Their opening 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the WSL was a tight, evenly contested match, and although they thrashed newly promoted Crystal Palace 7-0, neither team matches the calibre of five-time title holders Arsenal.

Perhaps the clearest sign of what lies ahead for the Blues this season came against Liga F side Real Madrid. Certainly, it is clear that things will not go as smoothly for them as they did under legendary former boss Emma Hayes. So what have we learned so far as Chelsea prepare to travel to Arsenal?

Defensive fragility on show against Real Madrid

Bompastor is no stranger to the Champions League, having lifted the trophy both as a player and a manager with eight-time champions Lyon, but her previous experience was with a team rich in experience themselves. The situation at Chelsea, who have never won the UWCL, is slightly different now, as reflected in their tense 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.

The biggest test of her managerial acumen came just minutes before kickoff when goalkeeper Hannah Hampton had to withdraw from the starting XI due to illness, with Zecira Musovic stepping in. Bompastor’s ability to stay composed during moments like this is a testament to her leadership, and for much of the evening, the Blues dominated and appeared in control as they took a 2-0 lead inside half an hour.

However, the game took a turn in the final 15 minutes when, having fallen 3-1 behind, Madrid ramped up the pressure and flooded the final third in the hope of snatching a draw. Linda Caicedo‘s goal, to make it 3-2, turned out to be just a consolation for the visitors, but both goals Chelsea conceded were the result of sloppy, haphazard defending and it’s not the first time the side have looked nervy in defence this season. Despite keeping clean sheets against Villa and Palace, Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities were on display against Madrid and a better team could have capitalised and caused them problems.

While Arsenal have struggled in front of goal — failing to convert any of their 21 shots against Everton last weekend — Chelsea certainly can’t be complacent when preparing to stop the Gunners’ world-class attack.

On Tuesday, it was also evident that some members of Bompastor’s squad were uncomfortable with the increased intensity — though it should be noted that Chelsea were missing key players including Erin Cuthbert (injured), Catarina Macario (illness) and Kadeisha Buchanan (suspension). If they are to settle into the new manager’s style of play then they will have to improve in this area.

Is more time a good thing?

Last weekend, the WSL was forced to postpone Chelsea’s clash with Manchester United due to concerns over player welfare — after UEFA scheduled the game against Real Madrid just 48 hours after the match. This conflict points to a breakdown in communication between UEFA and the WSL, and it was entirely avoidable, but Bompastor was unhappy.

The manager has previously voiced her frustrations about the WSL being less supportive of clubs competing in the Champions League, in contrast to her experiences in her native France, and her comments echo those of her predecessor, Emma Hayes, who similarly criticised the league’s scheduling in her final months at Chelsea.

Before the Madrid game, Bompastor said: “We were in a very good team dynamic and I think not having the opportunity to play changed everything in preparation for the game with Real Madrid. When you have the opportunity to play one game a week, with this decision being made to postpone the game, now we have been out of competition for 10 days which is completely different. If you look at the situation, the decision is not good. I think it is not good for all the English clubs who are in the Champions League competition.”

Chelsea’s 10-day gap without competitive action might well have contributed to their struggles when Madrid raised the tempo late in the game, as Bompastor suggested afterwards. But now they have three full days before the clash with Arsenal. The Gunners, meanwhile, face Bayern Munich in the UWCL on Wednesday so won’t be back in the country until Thursday, leaving them with only one day of training before they play Chelsea.

While Chelsea could benefit from the extra preparation time, the illness bug currently sweeping through the squad is a concern; both Macario and Hampton missed the Madrid game, while backup goalkeeper Katie Cox was also absent from the bench. Should the situation worsen, Chelsea could face a significant challenge over who they can field.

Arsenal will have a point to prove

It would be a mistake to assume Arsenal’s 0-0 draw against Everton will lead to a repeat performance against Chelsea. If anything, that frustrating result is likely to ignite the team, motivating them to respond with a statement victory.

A string of underwhelming performances so far this season mean the Gunners have a point to prove. With two draws and just one win, they will be eager to turn things around and that urgency, combined with the intensity of the rivalry, sets the stage for a highly competitive match.

Playing at the Emirates has not been kind to Chelsea in the past. They have yet to win there — their best result being draws since Arsenal began using the stadium more regularly from the 2019-20 season — and the atmosphere is often a contributing factor. The home side drew a crowd of 59,042 for their last meeting (a 4-1 win) and the club are on track for similar numbers ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Arsenal consistently rise to the occasion in big matches, especially at the Emirates. Last season, they dropped just four points against the traditional top four, but faltered against lower-table teams as they struggled to break down low and mid-block defences.

The hostility, chants and floods of red shirts will be a factor that Bompastor should not overlook. It will be the biggest test of her Chelsea career so far and whether she succeeds or fails could have a major impact on the rest of the season.